As a result, we started off the morning extra rushed since I had to get all three kids ready for their first day, take some pictures and video in front of the house, and try to leave a few minutes early to build in enough time to find a parking spot, make the long walk to the school, and "deliver" two students to two different lines in two different parts of the school. During all of the morning chaos, my friend, Regan, called me to tell me that her car's battery had died and asked if I could swing by her house to pick her and her daughter up to take them to school, too. Suddenly, we were really rushed for time since I knew that this detour would add about 10 minutes to the morning. Ugh. So, we got out of the house as quickly as we could, dashed to Regan's to pick them up, and then promptly got stuck behind the horrid bus on the way out of her neighborhood while it made multiple bus stops. My kids will be the first to attest that I HATE getting stuck behind school buses. It drives me bonkers!
We finally made it down to the school and found a spot on the side street. We rushed as fast as we could all the way to the back of the school where I seriously had less than one minute to take a picture of Lia and some friends before kissing her goodbye and rushing off to get Logan situated in the gym. As we were dashing to the front of the school, I realized that we would probably miss his line being dismissed in the gym if we tried to walk all the way to the front entrance. I noticed a side door and ran over to it with the two, little kids in tow. Of course it was locked, but just by luck, the custodian (who I know from church) happened to be in the hallway right on the other side of the door. After pounding on the door, she happily came and opened it for us and told me that they had just started dismissing the 1st grade classes from the gym. Ahhhh! So, the three of us ran into the gym with just enough time to for me to find Logan's line, take a picture of him, and kiss him on the head before his teacher walked his class out. It was crazy fast, but I was so grateful that we had been let through the side door of the school by the custodian. We never would have made it on time otherwise!
With the two older ones taken care of, Ella and I ran all the way across the field, out the side gate, and to our car. Since Regan was not there waiting for us, I made the split section decision to leave her at the school with the promise to come back and pick her up after delivering Ella late to her first day of preschool. So, I threw Ella in the car and off we went! We made it to preschool a few minutes late just as all of the parents were driving out of the parking lot. Although I was disappointed that I didn't get to wait with her in line inside the church foyer on her first and only day ever of preschool, I was grateful that I at least was able to snap a picture in front of the doors before a volunteer whisked her away. Overall, the entire morning was way too rushed and frantic for my style. I always like to take in the first day of school and savor this special experience with my kiddos, but there are somethings in life you just can't predict like a school strike ending and a friend in need. So, all in all, the kids made it to their classes on time or almost on time and they all came home with raving reports at the end of the day which is what really matters.
Logan, Lia, and Ella all dressed in their new, school clothes ready for their first day. As you can tell from the picture, the girls were excited and Logan was NOT. This boy hates change and dreads anything new and out of his comfort zone. I am convinced he will be like this the rest of his schooling career.
Lia Elizabeth: My tall, lanky, beautiful, 5th grader.
Logan Cruz: My anti-change, 1st grader trying to give me the best smile he could muster considering his current mood.
Ella Avalon: The cutest preschooler ever to hit the planet.
Although this is the first year ever that Lia has not been blessed with super close friends in her class, she luckily has several "fringe friends." I have used this term for years to describe girls who she is friends with at school, but does not spend time with them outside of school with the exception of birthday parties. I am just grateful that she had someone to be excited to see on her first day of school!
Pictured from left to right: Lia, Sophia, Brooke, and Maycen
Logan nervously trying to smile for me before his teacher whisked his class away!
And, he's off! Logan following his class from the end of his line.
I was simply amazed by how cool, calm, and collected Ella was for her first day of preschool at the Lutheran church. She wasn't nervous at all and just happily walked up to the front doors with me. She didn't even flinch when one of the volunteers grabbed her hand from me to take her away. She is so different than Logan was on this day! Here is the one picture I managed to snap of her in front of the yellow doors of the church.
Ella was so happy and excited when I picked her up 2.5 hours later. She had a great first day and told me all about it. Here she is modeling her crown that she colored as one of her activities in class.
For the first time in five years, I no longer have a carpool buddy to take turns driving to and from school with. This is a major bummer for me. However, one of my friends agreed to let me write her down as my "after school daycare" so that Lia and Logan can ride the bus home with her kids every day. This is due to the fact that her neighborhood is only 2 minutes from my house and in the school boundaries (unlike my neighborhood). As a result, it is a much faster drive to pick the kids up after school each day from this bus stop instead of driving all the way to the school and fighting traffic. Since Lia and Logan have never had the chance to ride a bus, they were both thrilled by the idea. Here are the two of them walking away from the bus after getting off.
Lia and Logan approaching me with Sienna at their side.
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